Stone-picking machine



Dec. 27, 1938. o. F. REITER STONE PICKINGMACHINE i Filed April 30, 19375 Sheets-Sheet I aim E le/ Dec. 27,, 1938;

o. F. REITER STONE PICKING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1957- -5 Sheets-Sheet2 kw M 0 ,F: ReiZ'er,

@M Y 5. z

I 27, 1938. O T R 2,141,557

STONE PICKING MACHINE Filed April 50, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 ,F:Ret'i'er, I

% I%MKJIY( an W 44 Patented Dec. 27, 193s Otis F. .Reiter, Baltimore,

pic Corporation, Baltimore,

' of Maryland 4 Mi, assignor to Fast- Md., a corporation ApplicationApril 30, 1937, Serial No; 140,062 30 Claims; (01. 55-17) The inventionconcerns apparatus for picking up stones for clearing ground, in 'themaking of roads, or improving farm land and for like purposes. Theimprovements forming the subject matter of this specification andappended claims involve various features relating to the picking upmechanism, means for carrying the stones from one part of the machine toanother part for their delivery, drive connections for operating partsof the machine'to perform the picking up actions and delivery actions.

The invention also concerns dumping mech-' anism by which a receptaclemovably mounted on the gathering machine, and under the control of theoperator is displaceable by certain mechanism to carry the receptacletoa point at which the receptacle is dumped to deliver the stones orother material therefrom.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 3 is a side view of the receptacle into which the stones aredeposited.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of said receptacle.

Fig. 5 is a view in section of the reel having lifting arms, and showingin side elevation conveyor or track bars for directing the stones toapoint of delivery when advanced by the lifting arms.

' supplemental frame 3a hereinafter referred to a move about said axlein tend rearwardly reel 4 having picker arms or tines 42 which cooperatewith a rake organization 5, 5a having teeth 6 which takethe stones fromthe ground to be contacted by the lifting arms or tines andcarried'forward thereby along the track or conveyor bars I which'arespaced apart from each other and which deliver the stones into thereceptacle indicated generally at 8. This receptacle 'is pivotallymounted at 9 in arms l0 which exfrom the receptacle located in front ofthe reel and conveyor bars, the said arms In being pivotally mounted onthe axle 2 to a vertical plane so that when the dumping operation is tobe performed,

sired amount of stones the arms l0 are lifted to the position shown indotted lines at a: and in which position a doorll of the receptacle isoperated to open the rear side of the receptacle for the discharge ofits contents to the rear ceptacle being then in the inclined positionshown in dotted lines at 80 inan elevated position in Fig 1.

The arms in are lifted by power. mechanism under the control of theoperator, and in the 10 form of the invention illustrated herein as anexample of one embodiment of my invention,

thispower mechanism is of a hydraulic character and includes a cylinderl2 pivotally mounted at iii in brackets l4. flxed to the main frame 3,the said cylinder containing a piston or ram member pivotally connectedto the arm ill at l5. Pressure fluid from a hydraulic pump I6 isdelivered to the cylinder l2 through a flexible hose or pipe l1 and thepassage of fluid through this pipe or hose from the pump is con--trolled by any suitable valve mechanism which may be located in thehydraulic pump unit it, this valve mechanism needing no specificdescription-other than to indicate that it has a 5 valve member tocontrol the inlet of fluid to the hydraulic cylinder l2 and also a valvemember to control the discharge of fluid from said hydraulic cylinder tothe hydraulic pump unit.

When the receptacle 8 has received the de- 0 or other material, theoperator by operating the valve mechanism causes the pump to deliver thehydraulic fluid into the-cylinder l2 and thereupon the ram or piston insaid cylinder operates to raise the arms Ill from the substantiallyhorizontal position shown in ,Fig. 1 to the elevated position shown bythe dotted lines at a.

As the receptacle 8 rises to its uppermost position it is tilted aboutits pivot 9 into the posi- 40 tion indicated by the dotted lines, thatis, inclining backwardly and downwardly. This inclined position isassumed because of the connection ll consisting of a rod pivotallymounted on the main frameat l2 and pivotally connected at I3 to theupper end of an arm ll fixed to the side of the receptacle 8. When thereceptacle has arrived at the elevated position and inclining downwardlyand rearwardly, the operator by pulling upon a handle l5 draws upon aflexible cable l6 which passes around a pulley II to the upper end of alever l8 pivoted at is to the outer side of the receptacle 8. Thispivoted lever l8 carries a catch 211 contacting with an abutment 8b onthe side 2i of the-door ll pivotally connected as of the machine, there- 5 the material into attached to housing. The

at 23 to the bottom so that when the handle I5 above mentioned isoperated the catch 20 is removed from contact with the abutment 8b ofthe side of the door, and said door then under the weight of thematerial resting thereon will open for the discharge-of a pile at therear of the machine or into any suitable truck to be carried away. Thisopening movement of the door II is cushioned by a spring pin 24 Fig. 3in a housing the side of the receptacle 8, said pin being under tensionof a spring 26 in the spring pin 24 is contacted by the abutment 8!) onthe side of the door when said door has reached its open positioninclining downwardly and backwardly as shownjin dotted lines in Fig. 3.

After the discharge of the material has taken 'place the receptacle 8will be restored to its at the front of the mechanism the .stones fromthe field and normal position which picks up delivers them in a forwarddirection into the receptacle. The door H is restored to its normalclosed position when the receptacle 8 reaches the lowermost limit of itsmovement by an arm 22a on the door contacting an abutment, preferably inthe form of a roller I 0b on one of'the arms I 0. The lowering movementof these arms,'together with the receptacle or bucket will be effectedunder the control of the operator byrelieving pressure in the cylinder[2 so that the ram or piston may restore to its normal position.

draulic fluid would be admitted to The hydraulic system may be-of.anyknown variety either single acting or double acting, that is to say, inthe single acting arrangement hyone end of the cylinder; to act upon theramor piston for raising the arms I 0 and in order to lower the arms itwould be necessary only to release the pressure from the end of thecylinder, whereas in the double acting system hydraulic fluid would beadmitted at one end of the cylinder for lifting the receptacle, andadmission of said hydraulic fluid "to the opposite end of the cylinderwould be utilized for assisting in the lowering operation ofthereceptacle. This hydraulic system in its de-' tail forms no part ofthe present invention, these details being well-known to those skilledin hydraulics. 1 l In order to drive the reel or drum. 4 which carriesthe tines for lifting the stones and depositing them on and moving themalong the conveyor or track bars 1 for delivery to the receptacle 8, I

employ a shaft 25a suitably mounted in the frame and operated from apower unit on the tractor which is hitched to the forward end of theframe of the apparatus. This shaft through beveled gearing 26 drives atransverse shaft 21 extending to one side of the frame of the apparatusfor driving a chain wheel 28 which through a chain or belt 29 drives asprocket wheel 30 on a shaft 3|, suitably mounted in the frame, andhaving a sprocket wheel 32 thereon, which through a a sprocket wheel 34on the shaft of the reel or drum carrying the tines or arms 42 forpicking up the stones. It will be noticed that the transmission from theshaft 25a extending along the center line of the apparatus at the frontof the frame thereof takes place in a circuitous course involving thetransverse shaft 21' and the sprocket wheels and chains mentioned abovelocate off to one side of the frame of the apparatus so that thespace'immediately in front of the drum or reel carrying the pickerfingers or tines 42 is left available for the .and is engaged by a pawl,as in they reach each disc or plate a projection or location of thereceptacle 8 immediately adjacent the forward side of the reel or drum.It will be noticed also that the delivery of the materials collected inthe receptacle 8 takes place to the rear of the machine by the upwardand backward ,to the point of deliveryat the hopper 8, it will be 7.that the rake teeth 6 are supseen from Fig. ported at two points by thebars 5; 5a. The bar 5 is supported by arms 35, one at each side of thereel pivotally hung on the shaft 4b thereof, which shaft is supported inbearings 40, which, in turn, are supported by the supplemental frame 3a.A ground roller .or drum 36 is 'journaled in arms 35a, pivotally mountedat the rear ends 'of the arms 35, and an operating bar 31- extends fromthe arm,35a to the lever arm 38 pivoted at 39 to a bracket 40 which isattached to a support 4'! fixed to the arm 35. The lever arm 38 isoperated by a hand lever, part of which is shown at 38a in Fig. 7.

A segment 39a is formed with the bracket 40 common practice, mounted onthe hand lever, so that by operating the 'hand lever, together with theusual pawl operatingvconnection, the ground wheel or drum 36 can be setto regulate the position which the rake teeth will assume relative tothe surface of the ground for pickingor digging up the stones.

The rake teeth are located in rear of the reel and are spaced apartlaterally so that dirt may fall between them as the stones are raised bythe lifting arms or tines 42 carried by, the reel 4. This reel iscomposed of side plates 4d in the form of discs mounted to turn with theshaft 4b. Rock shafts 43 span the space-between these side plates andare joumaled therein.- The shafts carry the stone lifting arms or tines42, which engage the stones and lift them along the rake teeth anddeposit them upon the' track or conveyor bars 1, along which the stonesare pushed towards the front of the machine by the lifting armstravelling in the direction of the arrow, Fig? 5, until such a positionthat they will pass by gravity the invention is not to be discharged atthe front of the" reel into the hopper 8. In other words, and referringto Fig. 5, the conveyor or track bars 1 curve upwardlyfrom the rear sideof the reel to the point 1 and thence they extend downwardly'to thepoint z, where the stones leave them to be deposited into the hopper,having acquired suflicient speed to pass across the space interveningbetween the endsof the conveyor bars and the interior of the hopper. Thecross shafts 43 are in the form of T bars with cylindrical journals attheir ends mounted in the bearingsof the side plates or ends of thereel. At each outer end of each shaft that is on the outer side of 4d ofthe reel there is fixed an arm 44 provided roller- 45b from a link orstrap 45a to which is connected either one or a' pair of helical springs46. These springs at their outer ends are connected to the disc 4d ofthe reel by suitable hook These springs are in the aggregate strongenough to hold the stone lifting arms 42 to their'work in raising thestones al ng the rake teeth and with a curved slot 45,receivin'g" bolts46a and bracket 41.

carrying them to the highest portions of the track 75 iii or conveyorbars 1, i. e., at 1 but should these lifting arms encounterextraordinary resistance as by contacting a boulder, the springs willallow the arms to yield and ride over the obstruction, and when theobstruction is passed, the springs will return the arm to its ,originalposition for inner face of each of the discs or side plates 4d of thereel, each housing having a stop member 49 backed by a spring 50a orrubber block so as to cushion the shock when the lifting arm 42- snapsback to normal working position aft-er having yielded upon contactingthe obstruction, and after having passed said obstruction.

It is the. lifting arms at the end of the series strung along the shaftsthat have to sustain the shock in hitting the spring cushion stops 49,it-

being understood that all the lifting arms of any one set are fixed tothe T iron shaft member 43 which carries them, so that cushioning thereturn of the end arms of anyone set will cushion the return -of thewhole set of lifting arms. In

order to enable the-end lifting arms of each set tosustain the shock ofthe stopping action, a bracing arm 50 is cast with each rock shaft andbacks up and reinforces the end one of the lifting arms 42 and extendsalong and in contact therewith a sufficient distance to resist breakagewhen the arm hits the stop 49, and as this stop is yieldable thiscircumstance, together with the sustaining effect of the reinforcing arm50 will insure the capacity of the lifting arm to perform its stoppingfunction without breakage. When one of the lifting arms contacts anobstruction which it. cannot dislodge or lift, the whole set of arms onthe same shaft with the contacting arm will be arrested to accord withthe arrest or yielding action of the particular arm which contacts theobstruction, but none of the other arms will lose control of the stoneswhich they individually are contacting, but they will simply resttogether with the arm which has hit the obstruction until theobstruction is passed, whereupon they will resume their liftingfunctions to raise all the stones that they started to lift.

I Reverting to the action of the slotted arm 44 and the spring or pairof springs 46, the purpose of the slotis to 'prevent'undue strain beingimposed on the springs in the'event .that the arm is moved to anexcessive extent, if the lifting arm 42 of the reel encounters an extralarge boulder, and is given excess movement in the act of passing thesame. Should this happen and the arm 44 be moved to an excessive degree,the slot will assume such a position relative to the longitudinal axisof the springs that the pin or roller 45b connecting teeth are invertical planes alternating the conveyor bars I lie.

the pair of springs with "the slotted arm, will slip along the slottowards the shaft 43 and thus strain on the springs will be relieved,thus avoiding stretching them to such an extent as will result in damagethereto.

The lifting arms 42 of the reel arefispaced apart along theirrespectivecarrying shafts a.

sufficient distance to alternate in position with the track or conveyorbars I. That is to 'say the lifting arms move inthe spaces between theconveyor bars I. They work in the same vertical planes with the raketeeth. Therefore, the rake with the vertical planes in which 1 discswill not occur.

outer ends of the series of rake teeth as indicated 1. at 6a Figs. 2, 8and 9,, so that this tooth will extend across and laterally beyond theedge of the disc. Thus no such appreciable space will be left betweenthe tooth and the edge or inner side lodge and cause damage. Instead ofan extra tooth 6a the end tooth 6 of the series may be made extra wideto extend across the edge of the disc. This in effect would be the sameas making the tooth portion 6a in one piece with the end tooth G.

The track or conveyor bars-l are formed each in one piece of flat metaltwisted at V Fig. 5 so that the upper stretches of said bars lie in-ahorizontal plane to provide a platform on which the stones may movewhile the lower sections of said bars lie flatwise in vertical planes.This formation adds strength to the bars and brings the edges of theiruppersections comparatively close together to make narrow guide slots inwhich the stone lifting and propelling arms 42 travel. These conveyor orguide bars along of the reel side plate 4d within which a stone can iThese track way or conveyor bars are not supported at their rear 1portions so that they are capable of flexing laterally slightly toaccommodate themselves to any irregularity in theirforms, or in thelifter arms 42. v I

The conveyor bars are connected withthe cross beam' which is in front ofand'spaced apart from the front edges of the discs comprised in thereel,

and hence beyond the circular path of travel of the lifter arms 42 sothat there will be no danger of said arms striking the beam or the endsof the conveyor bars attached 'to such beam; At the rear, however, theconveyor bars lie between the discs and hence they are here at a lessdistance from the center of rotation of the reel than the location ofthe major portions of the lifter arms in relation to 'the reel axis, butas the spaces between the said conveyor bars are open at the rear, thelifter arms can travel around with the reel withoutbeing interfered withby any part of the conveyor bars.

By forming the conveyor bars I with the twist 60 1 at V the lowerportions of thebars are set up vertically on edge to provide stiffnessagainst sagging down and also to provide ample clearance space betweenthem through which dirt may drop through instead of lodging thereon,and, at the same time, the upper portions of these bars are spaced withtheir lateral edges close enough to afford platforms for the conveyanceof the stones upon the flat surfaces of- ,these bars.

It will be noted that the reel is driven from a power unit mounted onthe frame or on a tractor which draws the frame along. This is anadvantage over drivingth e reel from the traction wheels of theapparatus because the speed of the reel will notbe dependent upon thespeed at rangement the reel can be raised or lowered relative to theground while the apparatus is being transported from one point toanother-without operating the stone gathering and lifting means.

It will be observed that the rake teeth are curved, and while theyafford means for guiding the stones as they are elevated by the liftingarms of the reel, they are not concentric with the circular path ofmovement of the lifting arms. On the contrary, they diverge upwardlyrelative to said-path, so that if any stone is caught between the end ofthe lifting arm and the rake tooth with which said arm is in alignment,the stone will be freed as it moves upwardly because of the divergentrelation of the rake tooth to said path of movement of the lifting arm.

I have used/the term stone in this description and in the claims forconvenience, it being understood, however, that objects other thanstones may be picked up by the apparatus.

Reverting to the yieldable conveyor or directing bars I which aresupported at their forward ends only and are therefore free to yield attheir other parts in rear of this front support, it will be noticed thatthese bars form'a grating located inthe space between the side discs ormembers 4 and that this space is entirely free excepting for the rockshafts 43 which carry the lifting arms and except for the lifting armsthemselves, with their shock absorbers which in part are arranged closeto the inner faces of -the side members or discs, therefore stones orother material being pushed along these conveyor bars which dropsthrough them, will drop through the free space within the circuit ofthe-said loop shaped bars, and when they reach the lower stretches ofthese bars, i. e. the portions thereof below the level of the axis ofthe reel, will pass between these lower stretches because of their widerspacing relative to the spaces between the upper stretches, and thuswill drop onto the ground and no jamming will take place and nocollection of such material will occur on the lower stretches of thesaid conveyor bars. Having reached the ground they will be picked upagain by the lifting arms with the possibility of their proper deliverythe second time owing, for instance, to their changed positions. Thiswill occurin the case of stones-of more or less flat form. Furthermore,byreason of thefree space just mentioned within the circuit of theconveyor bars there will be no chance of stones or, other materiallodging within the conveyor bars and interfering with their yieldingactions, particularly in a vertical plane.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described comprisingv hopper for receiving thestones at-said point,

arms in which said'hopper is supported pivoted on the frame andswingable upwardly to a delivery point over the ground dumping doorscarried by the body of the hopper, a power unit and connections foroperating the said swinging arms,

and means for operating thedumping doors of the hopper when said hopperis in its elevated position, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a stone picking machine, a reel composed of sidemembers of substantially circular form, stone lifting arms pivotallymounted between the side members of the ree1, -a rake' located in rearof the reel comprising spaced apart teeth curved in substantialconformity with the periphery of the reel, and having lower ends toengage and dislodge the stones to be taken by the lifting arms, certainof the rake teeth being next to the side members of the reel andextending across the edges of said side members on, spring membersconnected with the cross shafts and with the rotatable side members onthe outer side of said members for applying tension to the cross shafts,and shock absorbers mounted onthe inner sides of said side members tocushion the shock of the lifting arms upon release from contact with theobstruction, and means for supporting the reel, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a stonepicking machine, a. reel composed of disc-like side membersspaced apart, a shaft about the axis of whichthe said side membersrotate, means for supporting said shaft, rock shafts mounted in the sidemembers of the reel and extending across the space between said sidemembers, arms spaced apart and carried by the said rock shafts, a springfor each rock shaft applying tension thereto a set of-said arms fixed toeach rock shaft to move therewith as one body, and a shock absorberadjacent the end of each rock shaft acting as a stop to limit thereturning movement of the shaft with all the lifter arms carried therebyafter any one of said lifter arms of said shafts have contacted with andpassed an obstruction.

5. In a stone picking machine, a reel composed of disc-like side membersspaced apart, a shaft about the axis of which the reel rotates, meansfor supporting said shaft, rock shafts mounted in' the side members ofthe reel and extending across the space betweensaid side members, eachrock shaft having arms spaced apart and fixed thereto, a spring for eachrock shaft applying tension thereto, and a shock absorber adjacent theend'of each rock shaft to act as a stop. to limit the returning movementof said rock-shaft with the lifter arms fixed theretolafter any of saidlifter arms have contacted with and passed an obstruction, and areinforcing arm for and connected with each rock shaft and engaging theend one of the series of lifter arms on said rock shaft adjacent thepart of said lifting arm, which engages the shockabsorber to brace thesame and to prevent brea age of said-end lifter arm when contacting wittheshock absorber.

6. In combination in a stone picking machine, a frame, and a reelsupportedin-said frame to l ave rotary movement, said reel beingcomposed of disc-like side members spaced apart and having inner sidesfacing each other rock shafts 'rotatably mounted in said side membersand extending between them, a series of lifting arms fixed to the rockshafts to contact with the stones,

springs for applying tension to said shafts allow- .said conveyor barshaving their upper portions ing them to yield when any one of its armsmeets lying with their edges directed laterally of the extra resistance,and shock absorbers at the inner reel, and' stone contacting surfacesfacing outside of the side'member of the reel one for each wardly inrelation to the axis of the reel, the rock shaft in the path of the endone of the series lower portions of said bars being disposed each oflifting arms mounted on said rock shaft to with its side faces lying invertical planes. provide a cushion for the end lifting arm on its 12.Apparatus according to-claim 11 in which release upon passing anobstruction. the conveyor bars are formed of flat metal pieces 7. A reelfor stone picking machines composed twisted intermediate of their lengthto-provide of side members spaced apart, shafts extending the upper andlower portions, the surfaces of the between the side members andjournaled thereupper portions which receive the stones facing in, stonelifting arms mounted on said shafts, mainly upwardly and'the flatsurfaces of the slotted lever arms connected with the ends of lowerportions facing laterally towards the outer the shaft, and a pair ofsprings for applying sides of the apparatus.

tension to said lever arms, there being a pair of 13. In apparatus ofthe class described, a main 15 springs for each of said lever arms, saidsprings frame, carrying wheels therefor, a reel having of each pairbeing parallel to each other and a means for picking up stones anddelivering them connection common to both springs of each pairtowardsthe front of the machine in front of the slidable in theslotted'lever arm substantially reel, a supplemental frame pivotallymounted at as described. its front end on the main frame, said reelbeing 8. A reel for stone picking machines comprismounted on saidpivotally mounted supplemental ing a pair of side members spaced apart,a shaft frame, and means at the rear end of the suppleupon which saidside members are mounted, mental frame for lifting it relative to themain shafts extending between theside members and frame, rake teeth forengaging and lifting the rotatively mounted therein, each shaft havingstones to be taken by the reel to be transported." 5 fixed thereto aplurality of spaced apart arms for thereby, means for supporting saidrake teeth on lifting stones or the like, spring means mounted the reelshaft to be adjusted about the axial on the outer sides of said sidemembers, a lever center thereof. and means for adjusting said rake armmounted on the end of each of the lifter arm teeth, ,relative to thereel substantially as de-' carrying shafts on the outer sides of saidside scribed.

members, a connection between the spring means In combination with areel having means and the said lever arms automatically shiftable liftStone comprising lifting arms, a rake t when thelever arms have anexcessive throw due having rake teeth f r th ring s id stoneswto toexcessive yielding mo e t of th lifter arms be lifted' by said liftingarms, said rake unit beupon meeting an obstruction, a resilient Shocking pivotally mounted on the shaft of said reel, b b mounted on t innerside f side a ground roller, a support therefor connectedmember of thereel to be contacted by one of the with said aka unit adjustably,manually 1 lifti g arms, d reinforcing arm or brace able means on therake unit for adjusting said mounted on the cross shafts projectingfromthe ground roller to a s he rake teeth in relation rockshafts andengaging and backing up the liftt .t r und, sa d man al operable means40 ing arm along that portion thereof which conp s ng a shaft mounted insaid rake Wit a tacts with the shock absorber, hand lever on said shaftand a connection be- -9. In combination with a reel of a stone picktweenthe hand lever and the ground r0116! pport, and means also mounted onsaid rakeunit ing machine comprising side discs and a frame in whichsaid reel is rotatlvely mounted, a shaft' for ng he hand lever inadjusted position,

about the axis of which the reel turns shafts car-- substantially asdescribedried by the reel rotatively, arms mounted on the In com o in aStone Picking a e. shafts for picking up the stones, said stone pickaframe, carrying wheels therefor, a reel mounted ing arms beingspacedapart, conveyor bars conin the frame having means to lift thestones, and

. nected with the frame at their front ends, and discharge them at thefront of said reel, a hopper lying midway between the paths described bysaid supported by the frame directly adjacent the arms, and with theirside edges equally spaced front of said reel to receive the stonesimmediate-.

from. the Center line of Said P rake in l ly therefrom, and poweroperated connections for ing -machlne having stone lifting arms spaced Iapart from each other, conveyor bars having por- 0119119 reel to d flthe Stones, Said rake driving the reel independent of the carryingprising spaced apart bars extending upwardly wheels, substantially asdescribed. from ground, said w bars at their 16. In apparatus of theclass described, a main trailing portions dire e towards the rake barsframe, carrying wheels therefor,- a reel having being free fl supportand thereby yieldebla means for picking up stones and delivering themsaid conveyor bars lying between the slde towards the front of themachine in front of the substantially as described reel, a supplementalframe pivotally mounted at h iggggz xs sgiz ggfi gg g zfi gz its'frontend on the main frame, said pivotal her in the form'of a'loop,encircling thereel shaft gzzzg zzi aig fi f ;g g fiz fi g gggg gi gg therear portion of he loop between said side mounted on said pivotallymounted supplementalv h th described b the discs lying close to t 8 pa yframe, and means for lifting the supplemental shafts of the armsrevolving about the center of frame at its rear end relative to the mainframe,

the reel and with the front portion of said loop lying betw e mg aid iddi d extending rake teeth-for engaging and lifting the stones to awayfrom said path of the shafts, substantially be taken by the 110.108transported thereby, as described. I means for supporting. said raketeeth on the reel 11. In combination with a reel of a stone pickshaft tobe adjusted about the axial center of said shaft, means for adjustingsaidrake'v teeth,

and poweroperated means for driving the reel,

tions above, in rear of, and below the axis of the said power operatedmeans connecting with the. reel and between which the lifting armsproject. shaft first mentioned and a drive connection 75 shaft,substantially as a point in front of the reel, first lengthwise of themachine, thence laterally. thereof, and then longitudinally at the sideof the machine to the reel shaft, thereby leaving space in front of thereel to be occupied by a hopper, and a hopper located in said spacesubstantially as described.

1?." In combination in a stone picking machine, a main frame, carryingwheels mounted in said frame and arranged at the rear end thereof, ashaft mounted in the frame in advance of the carrying wheels, a reelmounted on the last mentioned shaft, a rake mounted towards the front ofthe machinein respect to the carrying wheel shaft, and in rear of thereel shaft, lifter arms carried by the reel, conveyor bars arrangedwithin the reel and supported on the main frame with which the lifterarms cooperate to direct the stones to the front of the machine from therake teeth, and a power unit mounted on the main frame with connectionstherefrom for driving the reel shaft, substantially as described.

19. In combination in a machine for picking stones and the like, a framework, an axle mounted thereon, carrying wheels on the axle, a

rake, a second axle, a reel mounted on the second axle comprising a pairof discs, spaced apart a distance less than that of the carrying wheelsand of a diameter substantially equal to that of the carrying wheels,with the lower parts of their peripheries substantially at the groundline, lifting arms on said reel between the discs thereof for elevatingstones dislodged by the rake, conveyor bars between the discs receivingthe stones from the lifting arms, a power shaft mounted on the frame andconnections from said power shaft to the second axle for rotating thereel, substantially as described.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 in which the carrying wheels arelocated in rear of the reel and rake, substantially as described.

21. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for picking up anddelivering stones, a wheeled carrying frame on which said means ismounted, a hopper in front of said means for receiving the stonesdelivered thereby, upwardly swinging supports pivotally mounted on theframe and carrying said hopper, and means for swinging said supports forcarrying the hopper to a point for dumping material at an area of theground not to be subsequently traversed by the further forward movementof the machine, substantially as described.

22. A machine of the class described comprising a frame, carryingwheels, a reel for elevating stones from the ground and moving themforwardly of the machine, a hopper normally in front of said reel toreceive the stones, supporting means for the hopper, pivotally mountedon the frame and swingable upwardly and rearwardly relative to the reelto carry the hopper to a point over the ground in rear of the machine,and means for dumping the hopper.

23. In combination in a stone picking machine,

a frame, carrying wheels therefor, a. reel having stone lifting arms androtatively mounted in the frame, a rake having teeth curving upwardlyand gradually diverging rearwardly from the circular Path of movement ofsaid lifting arms, shafts rotatively mounted in the reel and eachcarrying a series of said lifting arms to move therewith asone body, andmeans for yieldingly stressing said for supporting said shafts to returnthem with the series of arms carried thereby after passing anobstruction, substantially as described.

24. In combination a frame, stone lifting means rotatable about ahorizontal axis, and comprising spaced apart arms, and spaced apart barsfor directing the stones as propelled by said arms about said axis, andbetween which bars the lifting arms travel, said bars' being each in theform of a loop encircling said axis, supporting means for the said barslocated only at their front ends leaving free from support all otherpoints toyield laterally-and vertically, each of said liftingarms-normally describing a circular path wholly in rear of saidsupporting means, substantially as described.

25. In combination in a stone picking machine, a main frame, asupplemental frame pivotally connected to the main frame at its frontend, a shaft mounted on the supplemental frame, a stone lifting reelmounted on said shaft, a rake in rear of the reel for engaging-andlifting stones to be taken by the reel, means for supporting the rakefrom the shaft on which the reel is mounted, means for adjusting therake about said shaft, means for adjusting the supplemental frame aboutits pivotal mounting and means for driving the reel, substantially asdescribed.

26. A machine for picking stones and the like according to claim 23, inwhich the rake teeth are in alignment with the lifting arms.

27. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the said teeth divergeupwardly slightly from the circular paths described by the lifting armsandfrom the circular edges of the side members.

28. In apparatus of theclass described, a frame, means for liftingstones comprising lifting arms revolving about a common 'axis, meansarms, conveyor bars mounted at their forward ends only, on the frame,leaving their portions in rear of said supported front ends free' toyield vertically, said conveyor bars being spaced apart for the movementof the. lifting arms between them, said conveyor bars each hav-, ing anupper stretch above said axis and a lower stretch below said axisconnected together in rear of said axis, the space between the upper andlower stretches of said bars beingfree for material passing between theupper stretches to fall to and pass between the lower stretches to theground, substantially as described.

29. Apparatus of the class described comprising a carrying frame,adapted to have forward travelling movement,lifting arms on said framerevolving around a common axis, yieldable conveyor bars b'etwen whichthe lifting arms travel, each of said bars being of substantially loopform having their rear portions comparatively close to said common axisand their forward portions progressively increasing in distance fromsaid axis, with means at only the front portion of said leaving theparts of said loop in rear of said supporting means free to yield, saidsupporting means beingoutside the normal circular path described" by theouter ends of the lifting arms so that said lifting arms in theirrevolution will gradually recede within the grating formed by theconveyor bars and will pass the said supporting means while maintainingtheir normal substantially radial position relative to said axis, andrake teeth supported in rear of and spaced apart from the yieldable rearportion of the conveyor bars, substantially as described.

30. In combination with a rotary reel of a the lower portions of saidbars being spaced more widely apart than the upper portions thereof, arake in rear of the reel to. lift the stones into the path of saidlifting arms, and means for supporting the conveyor bars on the frameonly at their front portions, leaving the rear portions of said barsnearest the rake teeth free to yield vertically, the upper more closelyspaced portions of the conveyor bars supporting the stones while beingpropelled by said lifting arms towards the front supported portions ofsaid bars, substantially as described.

OTIS F. REITER. 10

